My dear parishioners,
Peace! On the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, 7 October, 2019, Pope Francis established the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, to be observed each year on the 10th of December. At the same time Pope Francis proclaimed a Lauretan Jubilee Holy Year to run from 8 December, 2019 through 10 December, 2020. There are fifty-one invocations in the Litany of Loreto. The following is a reflection on the fourteenth invocation: Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
To call Saint Mary “Mother of our Savior” acknowledges that the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Savior (cf. Luke 1:47; 2:11; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:3; 3:4). The Greek word soter is translated as both “savior” and “deliverer” and occurs twenty-four times in Sacred Scripture. Soteriology is the science or study of salvation. While the Litany does tell us about Our Lady, it also tells us about her Son. What has the Lord Jesus, our Savior and Son of Saint Mary, saved us from? He has saved us from sin, Satan, hellfire and damnation, from fear, from despair, from ourselves. How has the Lord Jesus, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary saved us? He has saved us by His life, death, and resurrection, by His grace, by His Sacraments, by His Church.
The artist known as El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopolos; +1614) has two paintings attributed to him both entitled “Christ as Saviour” one painted in 1600 the other 1614. In both the Lord Jesus is wearing a red colored tunic with a blue mantle and a minimalist halo of sorts. The older image is more of a close up with the left hand of the Lord grasping the top of the Earth while the newer image has His left hand draped over the Earth. In both images the Lord’s right hand is raised in blessing. The Son of Saint Mary is the Blessed Savior of the World. He is the Lord of Heaven (the blue mantle) and Earth (under his hand). The red colored tunic of the Lord recalls for us His Precious Blood shed for us on Calvary for our salvation, as Saint Mary, His Blessed Mother looked on (cf. John 19:25). Leonardo da Vinci (+1519) and Titian (+1576), among others, have also depicted in their sacred art images of Christ as Salvator Mundi.
The Lord was our Savior at His birth in Bethlehem and Our Lady was there (cf. Matthew 1:18). The Magi adored Christ our Savior in Our Lady’s presence (cf. Matthew 2:11). The Lord was our Savior during His earthly ministry, for example the wedding at Cana, and Our Lady was there (cf. John 2:1-2). The Lord Jesus was our Savior when His Blessed Mother was gathered in prayer in the upper room with the Apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:13-14). The Lord Jesus Christ is still our Savior and Saint Mary is still His Blessed Mother, and ours in the order of grace.
Father John Arthur Orr